I never saw this before. Anyone here do this?

 

 

I’ve never done it, but I do put a small O-ring over the R-bend just to keep my line/knot from traveling. 

yes, moreso on my buzzbaits.  And I use skirt tying wire because it is quick to wrap a couple wraps and twist off.  No knots.  Can't be cut.  won't break. Just have to watch the cut end is tucked away to not catch your line.

I started doing it last year after I broke one, just to see if it would make a tangible difference. Didn't realize it was a thing others did.

22 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

I started doing it last year after I broke one, just to see if it would make a tangible difference. Didn't realize it was a thing others did.

Well, what difference did it make?

27 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

Well, what difference did it make?

 

It seems more durable, but I cannot confidently say if it makes a difference. I don't throw a spinnerbait as much as many others here, so I don't have enough time with it to say one way or the other.

The big difference it makes is keeping your knot from sliding up the wire.  If the knot slides up the wire, the upper arm of the spinnerbait straightens out, and has to be bent back in to shape, making the whole bait becomes much weaker.  Keeping the knot in the R bend, definitely helps the longevity of a spinnerbait.